Frequent cold spells this season affected Boro seedbeds, and cold injuries caused drying of tender seedlings in some areas. The growers, however, started transplanting the seedlings earlier to avert possible nor’ wester and hailstorm prior to harvest.

Solvent farmers set irrigation pumps at their own cost, but the small farmers and sharecroppers have to purchase irrigation water from pump owners on condition of paying one fourth of the crop after its harvest, said locals.

Abdul High ,a farmer of Ghordour village of  the upazila, said Tk 9,000 to 10,000 has to be spent for Boro farming on one bigha of land and the yield usually ranges from 25 to 30 maunds (a maund = 40 kg) per bigha.

“Last year’s Boro price was Tk 700 to 800 per maund while the price is above Tk 1200 now. And so, growers get very little benefit from Boro cultivation,” he said.

If the government arranges purchase of food grains directly from farmers, they would get fair price of crops including Boro, he added.

In Sherpur upazila, 20,700 hectares of land have been targeted under Boro cultivation this season, which may be more or less after schedule time said Razia Sultana, Upazila Agriculture Extension Officer..